Where Reading Becomes Natural

Dewey Decimal Classification 500-599 Natural Sciences — Where Science Nerds Delight

By Guest Contributor Linda Maxie

Welcome to the sciences! Libraries that use Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) have two major divisions for the sciences. The natural sciences are the first of the two and are shelved under the classification numbers 500-599 which will be the subject of this post. The second, Applied Sciences and Technology, will be discussed in my next article. 

The Natural Sciences include materials that study nature as it exists without direct manipulations from humans. 

Every subdivision in the natural sciences is fascinating on its own. 

The subdivisions, in order, are:

500-509 General natural sciences (including multidisciplinary works and natural history)

510-519 Mathematics

520-529 Astronomy & Allied Sciences

530-539 Physics

540-549 Chemistry & Allied Sciences

550-559 Earth Sciences

560-569 Paleontology

570-579 Life Sciences (Biology)

580-589 Plants

590-599 Animals

If any of these interest you, I encourage you to head to your local public library and explore this fascinating section. 

STEM in Public Libraries

STEM is an education acronym that refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Not all libraries offer programs to promote STEM, but they all have science sections with books on these topics. However, your library may also provide STEM programs and exhibits for children and/or adults. 

STEM became a popular educational focus around two decades ago when issues like climate change and obtaining technology skills became of interest to the public. 

Librarians are not usually STEM experts, but they serve a vital function in bringing those experts together with patrons by providing time and space for these programs. Often, agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NFS) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) provide funds and programs. 

Some libraries offer after-school programs for students or host mobile science labs. But even if your library doesn’t regularly offer events like these, they can still help with STEM educational goals. Most offer free access to the internet, computers, tablets, as well as books and DVDs related to the field, for all community members. 

In recent years, an “A” has been added to the mix to create STEAM education. The “A” stands for art. You may have heard of maker spaces in libraries, and these often come from STEAM initiatives. I’ll talk about these in my next post. Meanwhile, check with your local library to see what science-based programs and materials they offer. 

Books from the Natural Sciences:

These books are found in Chapter 6, “Natural Science,” in Library Lin’s Curated Collection of Superlative Nonfiction. You can find the book on Amazon or request it from your bookstore. 

Natalie Angier, The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science (2007) by Natalie Angier

Science journalist Natalie Angier wishes to increase your overall scientific literacy. Using interviews with top scientists and her research, she takes you through every significant scientific discipline to explain how the world works.

Math for Life: Crucial Ideas You Didn’t Learn in School (2011) by Jeffery Bennett

Jeffrey Bennett demonstrates how math shapes the world and leads to better choices. After examining how math is taught in school, he offers solutions to help struggling students grasp the concepts.

The Human Cosmos: Civilization and the Stars (2020) by Jo Marchant

Journalist Jo Marchant looks at portrayals of the past 20,000 years of human stargazing in art, religion, science, and biology. She points out that we have become increasingly disconnected from the sky’s rhythms and cycles in recent centuries. In many places, it’s no longer even visible due to light pollution.

Carlo Rovelli Seven Brief Lessons in Physics (2014) by Carlo Rovelli

Italian theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli’s international bestseller makes an entertaining introduction to modern physics. Rovelli offers simple explanations of complex topics like quantum mechanics and the structure of the universe. The big picture, he says, is breathtaking.

Mendeleyev’s Dream: The Quest for Elements (2001) by Paul Strathern

British writer Paul Strathern traces the history of chemistry and the periodic table. He reveals how we reached our modern chemical breakthroughs.

Underland: A Deep Time Journey (2020) by Robert Macfarlane

Renowned British nature writer Robert Macfarlane explores the areas underground both in reality and in myth. He looks at prehistoric cave art, even in undersea caves. And he uncovers the nuclear waste stored in an underground “hiding place.” He reminds us that underground spaces exist on the planet, but they also haunt our unconscious.

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of Their Lost World (2018) by Stephen Brusatte 

One of the world’s top paleontologists, Steve Brusatte delivers the most recent dinosaur research. His narrative encompasses the entire age, from dinosaurs’ small beginnings in the Triassic period through the Cretaceous period, when a devastating impact from space ended it. Brusatte introduces us to recently discovered species and recounts his adventures in field research around the globe.

She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity (2018) by Carl Zimmer

How do our genes influence us? Not in the ways we might think, says science writer Carl Zimmer. Our genes do not come to us whole through our parents. Instead, we all carry bits and pieces of DNA from many ancestors. Zimmer explores how these influence our bodies and lives, but he also looks at how other factors, from microbes to our modern lifestyles, affect us.

A Gardener’s Book of Plant Names: A Handbook of the Meaning and Origins of Plant Names (2016) by A.W. Smith

First published in 1963, this classic reference contains over a thousand common plant names and their botanical names, definitions, origins of the terms, and historical and anecdotal information about the plants. The book also serves as an excellent identification guide.

Close Encounters with Humankind: A Paleoanthropologist Investigates Our Evolving Species (2019) by Sang-Hee Lee

Paleoanthropologist Sang-Hee Lee reconsiders the evolutionary development of the earliest Homo sapiens. He reports on recent scientific evidence about how they lived.

Linda Maxie is a retired librarian passionate about good books. She is the author of Library Lin’s Curated Collection of Superlative Nonfiction and her blog, The Nonfiction Section. Contact her at https://librarylin.com.